Troweling machine



May 9, 1961 Filed NOV. 4, 1954 H. G. FLETCHER 2,983,203

TROWELING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Horace 6. Fla/char BY ATTORNEYS May 9, 1961 H. G. FLETCHER TROWELING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 4, 1954 May 9, 1961 H. G. FLETCHER TROWELING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 4, 1954 Fig.7

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS @226 w&

United States Patent 2,983,203 TROWELING MACHINE Horace G. Fletcher, 11270 Ables Lane, Dallas, Tex. Filed Na. 4, 1954, Ser. No. 466,838

2 Claims. (31. 94-45 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in troweling machines for finishing concrete surfaces.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved machine of the rotary blade type having work engaging surfaces wherein the blades are mounted in a novel manner so as to be readily removable for replacement or reversal of said blades or transportation of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved troweling machine of the type having a rotary hub and radial arms with blades mounted thereon and carrying an encircling guard ring, the blades being detachably connected to the arms and guard ring so as to facilitate removal of said blades and/or the ring and being so arranged that said blades may be reversed or turned end for end.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved troweling machine of the rotary blade type having novel means for simultaneously varying the angular relation of the blades to their plane of rotation during operation of the machine.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved troweling machine, of the character described, wherein the radial arms are journaled for rotation relative to the hub to impart tilting adjustment to the blades, said arms being angular and having pivotal connection with cam means operable to oscillate said arms.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved troweling machine of the rotary blade type having a ground wheel pivotally mounted for swinging movement into and out of supporting position between the blades and guard means for preventing said blades from accidently striking and damaging the wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved troweling machine, of the character described, wherein the usual handle as well as the bladw and guard rings are detachably mounted for ready removal to facilitate transportation of the machine.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a troweling machine constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, detailed view showing the mounting of the ground wheel and its guard,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the troweling or finishing blades,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the floating blades, 7

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, front, elevational view, partly in section, of the lower portion of the machine,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view, taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 8 is a detailed, sectional view showing the adjustable mounting of the eye bolts of the angularly adjustable blade arms,

Fig. 9 is an exploded, perspective view of the cam means, and

Fig. 10 is an exploded, perspective view showing the detachable connection of the handle and control means.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the base or frame of a troweling machine for floating or finishing concrete surfaces, such as floors and slabs, which includes an internal combustion engine or other prime mover 11 mounted on the base and having a drive pulley 12 connected by an endless belt 13,to a driven pulley 14 of a conventional gear drive or worm and gear 15 housed in said base as shown in Fig. 7. An upright drive shaft 16 depends from the mechanism 15 and has a hub 17 fixed on its lower end for rotation therewith. As will be explained, rod-like, radially-extending arms or rock shafts 18 are carried by the hub -17 for supporting work engaging elements or finishing blades 19 (Fig. 3) or floating blades 20 (Fig. 4) and an annular guard member or ring 21 is detachably connected to the outer ends of the blades in encircling relationship. A tubular handle bar 22 is suitably attached to the base 10 and carries the usual manual throttle lever 28 for the engine 11.

Whenever desired, the machine may be supported by a ground wheel 24 pivotally mounted on the forward end of the base for swinging movement into and out of supporting position between the blades in substantially the same manner as shown in Letters Patent No. 2,621,568, issued December 16, 1952. For pivotally supporting the wheel 24, a yoke 25 is provided and includes a collar 26 keyed or otherwise fixed on a transverse shaft 27 journaled in trunnions 28 suitably fastened to the forward end of the base (Fig. 2). A pair of angular, spaced arms 29 extend from the collar 26 on either side of said wheel and a transverse shaft 30, upon which the wheel is mounted, is carried by the outer ends of the arms. In order to prevent the blades 19 from striking and damaging the Wheel, the yoke arms 29 are in the form of guard members or plates extending downwardly and inwardly or rearwardly therefrom and having their inner or rear margins connected by a cross bar or brace 31. For swinging the yoke, the shaft 27 is adapted to be oscillated by suitable means, such as a crank arm 32 having a nut 33 pivotally mounted thereon for engagement by the screw-threaded end of an operating shaft 34 which may have a loosely-surrounding housing 34' connected to the nut. The opposite end of the shaft may have universal connection at 35 with a crank rod 3-5, the outer end of which is supported by a suitable transverse bracket 36 carried by the upper end of the handle bar 22. A bipod support 3-7 is pivotally mounted at the rear of the base 10 (Figs. 7 and 10) for coacting with the wheel 24 to sustain the machine when desired for transportation as Well as removal of the blades and guard ring 21. As shown in Fig. 5, the yoke 25 as well as the support 37 is adapted to be swung upwardly during use of the machine.

'The blades 19 and 20 are identical except for their width and contour, being rectangular and of greater length than width. While the finishing blade 19 is flat, the floating blade 20 has upturned, longitudinal margins 38 and is of greater Width than said finishing blade. As shown by the numeral 39', the major outer portion of each supporting arm 18 is square or angular in cross-section and is adapted to be telescopingly engaged by an elongated, complementary sleeve or tubular member 40 which extends longitudinally of each blade intermediate its margins and is secured to the blade by a substantially coextensive, flat bar 41. One or more openings 42 are formed in each arm portion 39 for engagement by an upright latch element or pin 43 projecting downwardly through the upper wall of the sleeve 40 from an angular lever 44 overlying and attached to, said sleeve wall (Fig. whereby the blade is detachably connected to the-arm. By providing more than one opening 42 in each arm portion or by positioning the latch pin 43 at the medial portion of the sleeve, the blade may be readily reversed or turned end for end in the event of uneven wear. Manifestly, the lever 44 functions as a spring for urging the latch pin downwardly. A11 inverted stirrup 44 may be secured to the sleeve in overlying relation to the lever to limit upward movement and prevent bending or breaking of said lever.

'It is noted that the sleeves 40 are of less length than their blades so as to terminate short of the ends thereof and are of greater length than the arm portions 39 so as to project outwardly therebeyond (Fig. 6). An opening 45 is formed in one end portion of each side wall of each sleeve with the openings of opposed walls being disposed at opposite ends of the sleeve whereby the openings occupy the same relative position upon reversal of the blade. The outwardly-disposed opening of each sleeve is adapted to be loosely engaged by the inner end or bill 46 of an angular element or hook 47 extending radially inward from the guard ring 21 clockwise of the sleeve for connecting said ring to the blades. In order to fasten the guard ring against displacement, an inwardly-directed latch 48 is mounted on said ring adjacent and counterclockwise of one of the hooks 46 and includes an angular bracket 49' extending between and connected to said ring and hook outwardly of the inner end of said hook. A latch bar 50, having a lateral lift pin or lug 51, is pivotally attached to the radial portion of the bracket and projects inwardly thereof for overlying the counterclockwise side wall of the sleeve when the hook has its bill 46 engaged in the opening 45- of the opposite or clockwise side wall whereby said sleeve is confined between said hook and latch bar to maintain the hooks in engagement with the openings and prevent displacement of the guard ring. The latch bar is supported in latching position by engagement with the upper surface of the underlying blade and may be readily swung upwardly to permit movement of the guard ring and their hooks relative to the sleeves for detachment of said ring. 7

Each supporting arm 18 has its cylindrical inner end portion journaled for oscillation in a bifurcated bearing collar 52 projecting radially from the lower portion of the hub 17' and a lateral or transverse adjusting lever or crank 53 is fixed on said inner end portion between the forks of the bearing (Figs. 5-7). The lever has an inwardly-directed pin 54 extending in parallel relation to the arm and coacting with saidlever to provide a crank for turning said arm about its longitudinal axis. Eye bolts 55 depend from a floating plate or reciprocal yoke 56 slidably keyed on the shaft 16 above the hub 17 and receive the pins 54 which are confined therein by cotter pins or other means 57. As shown most clearly in Fig.

7 8, each eye bolt 55 is adjutably connected to the plate 56 by an externally screw-threaded bushing or collar 58 extending through an opening 59 in said plate. The collar has a screw-threaded bore 60 for receiving the upper end of the eye bolt and a peripheral flange 61 on its lower end for engaging the underside of the plate. A lock nut 62- is threaded upon the upper end of the collar 58 so as to engage the upper surface of the plate 56, and a socket 63 is formed in the upper end of the bore 65 for engagement by a suitable tool (not shown) whereby said collar may be turned to raise and lower the eye boltrfor varying its elevation. Manifestly, the levers 53 are pivoted by the longitudinal movement of the eye bolts 55- to turn the arms 18 about their longitudinal axes and permit equal adjustment of the angular relation of the said arms and their blades to one another.

For oscillating the arms about their respective axes in the manner of rock shafts so as to tilt the blades, adjusting means 64 is provided and includes a pair of coacting, annular cam members or rings 65 and 66 as shown most clearly in Fig. 9. The adjusting means 64 is interposed between the engine base 10 and the floating plate 56 in surrounding relation to the shaft 16, the upper cam ring 65 being fixed against relative movement to a flanged collar 67 bolted to the underside of said base (Figs. 5 and 7). A thrust bearing '68 is confined between the floating plate and the lower cam ring 66 which loosely surrounds the shaft for oscillatory and reciprocal movement relative to the upper cam plate. Conventional cam elements or projections 69 and 70 extend axially from the rings 65 and 66, respectively, in concentric relation to the shaft for coacting engagement to control the elevation of the floating plate 56 and its eye bolts 55. A lateral or radial lever 71 extends externally from the lower cam ring 66 for connection with the lower end of a flexible cable 72 mounted in a tubular housing 73 extending longitudinally of the handle bar 22 and having its upper end supported by the bracket 36 (Fig. l). The upper end of the cable 72 is connected to a releasable latch device 74, of the conventional ratchet type, for holding said cable in adjusted positions.

Upon pulling the cable 72 outwardly, the lever 71 is swung clockwise to oscillate the lower ring 66 and its cam projections 70 in the same direction. Due to the inclined surfaces of the cam projections, the lower ring is moved downwardly away from the upperring 65 upon this oscillation and this downward reciprocation is transmitted to the floating plate 56 and its depending eye bolts 55 by the thrust bearing 68. Since the pins 54 of the levers 53 are confined in the eye bolts, the arms 18 are oscillated about their respective longitudinal axes so as to tilt the blades. Manifestly, the thrust bearing permits this adjustment during rotation of the floating plate with the hub '17 and its arms and blades to vary the angular relation of said blades relative to their plane of rotation. It is noted that the openings 45 of the blade sleeves 40 are of greater diameter than the bills 46 of the guard ring hooks 47 to provide a loose fit therebetween for permitting tilting movement of the blades.

For supporting the bearing collars 52, a radial base plate 75 is formed on the lower end of the hub 17 and has an upstanding, peripheral flange 76 (Figs. 5-7). Preferably, a dust cover 77 in the form of an angular ring has a complementary, depending flange 78 telescopingly surrounding and suitably secured to the hub flange 76. The upper end of the dust cover is disposed in spaced, concentric relation to the plate 56 and does not interfere with adjusting movement of said plate longitudinally of the shaft 16. As shown in Fig. 10, the handle bar 22, crank rod 35 and the flexible cable 72 with its housing 73 are adapted to be removed for facilitating transportation and storage of the machine. A plate 79 is bolted or otherwise fastened to the rear end of the base 10 and has an upstanding, rearwardly-inclined, clamp socket 80 for receiving the inner end of the handle. The crank rod is readily disconnected from the operating shaft 34 at its universal joint 35', while the flexible cable may be readily detached from the lever 71. It is noted that the plate 79 has a lateral extension 81 for supporting the shaft 34 and that the cable housing 73 is supported by an adjustable bracket 82 extending transversely between the handle bar and said housing. The support 37 is pivotally suspended from a bearing support 83 projecting rearwardly from the plate below the socket 80 and a spring 84 may extend between the base and support for holding said support in its raised position. A suitable stop 85 may be carried by the support for engaging the base and limiting forward swinging of said support, while a suitable throttle control 86 is mounted on the handle bar 22 and has connection with the lever 23 by a flexible cable 87.

From the foregoing, it is readily apparent that an improved troweling machine has been provided. The blades may be readily tilted and held in angular relation to their plane of rotation by means of the adjusting means 59 during operation of the machine. Whenever desired, the machine may be supported by the ground wheel 24 and coacting bipod support 37 to facilitate replacement or reversal of the blades or transportation of the machine. As has been explained, the guard members 31 prevent the blades from accidentally striking and damaging the wheel upon lowering of the latter. Upon upward swinging of the latch bar 50, the guard ring 21 may be moved clockwise relative to the blades to disengage its hooks 47 from the openings 45 of the blade sleeves 40. Then, the blades may be withdrawn by lifting the levers 44 to retract the latch pins 43 from the openings 42 so as to permit reversal of said blades or substitution between the blades 19 and 20. With the guard ring and blades removed, the machine has less lateral projection whereby it is easier to transport as well as move said machine through narrow openings. Due to the arrangement and construction of the blades and particularly their sleeves, remounting of said blades in the same or reversed relationship may be quickly accomplished. Also, the guard ring may be readily connected to the blades by means of the hooks and latch. It is pointed out that the blades are positioned below and have their ends extending beneath the guard ring and the base plate 75 of the hub 17 without projecting externally of said ring. Although the invention is directed to a troweling machine, it is manifest that other types of work engaging elements may be substituted for the blades for finishing, scrubbing, waxing, polishing or otherwise treating floors and similar surfaces.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A troweling machine including an upright drive shaft, a hub mounted on the lower end of the shaft for rotation therewith, rock shafts radiating from the hub, mounting means on said hub in which the rock shafts are journaled for oscillation about their respective longitudinal axes, surface engaging blades mounted on said rock shafts for movement therewith, a crank connected to the inner end of each rock shaft, a yoke freely slidably mounted on the drive shaft above said hub for vertical movement relative to said drive shaft, means pivotally connecting said yoke with said cranks for oscillating said rock shafts to tilt the blades into angular relation to their plane of rotation, a fixed cam ring encircling said drive shaft above the yoke, a coacting cam ring rotatably and slidably confined on said drive shaft between the fixed cam ring and yoke for reciprocating said yoke to oscillate said rock shafts and tilt said blades, and means for rotating the coacting cam ring whereby said blades can be angularly adjusted during the operation of said machine.

2. A troweling machine including a rotary hub, rodlike arms radiating from the hub for rotation therewith, means for imparting rotation to said hub, a surface engaging blade for each arm, a mounting sleeve extending longitudinally of each blade intermediate its margins and complementary to the arm for telescoping engagement thereon to removably support the blade, each arm and sleeve having a transverse opening, a retractable latch pin at the medial portion of each mounting sleeve and extending transversely into the opening in the sleeve for releasable engagement in the opening of the arm to perrnit removal and reversal of the blade, a guard ring encircling said blades, angular hooks extending inwardly from the guard ring, each mounting sleeve having a second transverse opening in each of its end portions receiving one of the books so as to permit connection of said ring to the end portions of said sleeves which are disposed outwardly, and an inwardly-directed latch on said ring adjacent and in opposed relation to one of said hooks coacting therewith confining one of the sleeves therebetween and maintain said hooks in engagement with the openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,432,980 Eadie Oct. 24, 1922 1,496,665 Fahrenholz June 3, 1924 2,130,418 Du Pont et al Sept. 20, 1938 2,198,929 Whiteman Apr. 30, 1940 2,277,389 Conway Mar. 24, 1942 2,351,278 Mathews June 13, 1944 2,352,464 Aerni June 27, 1944 2,394,274 Troxwell Feb. 5, 1946 2,434,408 Huffman Ian. 13, 1948 2,450,062 Voss et al Sept. 28, 1948 2,468,981 Huffman May 3, 1949 2,556,983 Root June 12, 1951 2,594,331 McCrery Apr. 29, 1952 2,605,683 Boulton Aug. 5, 1952 2,621,568 Fletcher Dec. 16, 1952 2,662,454 Whiteman Dec. 15, 1953 2,708,493 Badertscher et a1 May 17, 1955 

